Surface mounted multiple cable or wire organizer

ABSTRACT

A method for attaching a cable or wire to a support surface comprising the following steps: selecting a connector body with a bottom surface, a coaxially aligned center void, at least two pairs of transversely aligned holes formed on the side walls of the cylindrical body configured to receive a twist tie extended transversely through the connector body, and a center bore formed on the center void; selecting a desired location on a support surface for attaching the connector body; inserting a connector into the center bore or attaching adhesive tape to the bottom surface of the connector body to attach the connector body to the support surface; selecting at least one twist tie and inserting it into two holes formed the opposite sides of the connector body and across the center void; extending a cable or wire transversely over the connector body, and; twisting the opposite ends of the twist tie together to hold the cable or wire over the connector body.

This is a U.S. division patent application based on U.S. utility patentapplication (application Ser. No. 14/728,922) filed on Jun. 2, 2015which is based on and claims the filing date benefit of U.S. provisionalpatent application (Application No. 62/006,395) filed on Jun. 2, 2014.

Notice is given that the following patent document contains originalmaterial subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has noobjection to the facsimile or digital download reproduction of all orpart of the patent document, but otherwise reserves all copyrights.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention:

This invention pertains cable or wire organizers, and more particularlyto organizers that easily mount to a surface and accommodates multiplecables or wires that cross.

2. Description of the Related Art:

One problem with using electronic devices, such as telephones,computers, fax machines, printers, or power adapter on a desk orworkstation is organizing the power cords, network cables, video cables,serial port cables, and USB cables used by the devices. The wires orcables are often a fixed length and extend over or under the desk orworkstation from different directions. Sometimes, the wires or cablesmust cross. Ideally, the cords and cables should be securely attached toan unused area on the desk or workstation.

Velcro strips, zip ties and twist ties have been used to bundle runs ofmultiple cables or wires together. Because these strips or ties cannotbe affixed to a surface, additional clips are often used to hold thecables or wires against a flat surface. Unfortunately, the clips areuni-directional (i.e. designed to hold bundles of cables or wires thatare parallel). When the cables or wires are not parallel or cannot bebundled together, or when they cross, separate clips must be used witheach cable or wire.

It is also common to add or remove devices from a desktop or workstationevery few months. When devices are added or removed from the desktop orworkstation, the cable and wires used by the devices are also changed.When zip ties and clips are used to organize and attach the cables orwires to the support surface, they must be cut and replaced when zipties or clips.

What is needed is a multiple cable or wire organizer that can bepermanently or temporarily attached to a support surface, which isreusable, and can be used with crossing cables or wires.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Disclosed is a cable or wire organizer comprising a rigid connector bodywith a flat bottom surface, short, perpendicular aligned side walls, anda coaxially aligned recessed center void. Formed in the center void is abore configured to receive a threaded connector that may be used toselectively attach the connector body to a flat support surface. Formedon the raised side walls are at least two pairs of transversely alignedholes configured to receive a twist tie that extends transverselythrough two holes formed on opposite sides of the connector body. Thetwisted tie is centrally aligned over the connecter body so the oppositeends that extend on opposite sides of the connector body aresubstantially equal in length. The opposite ends of the twisted tie arethen bend rearward and over the top surface of the connector body. Whenone or more cables or wire are extend over the top surface of theconnector body, the tips of the twisted ties are twisted together andtighten to securely hold the cables or wires over the top surface of theconnector body.

In the embodiment shown herein, the connector body is a cylindricalstructure with curved side walls and a flat bottom surface. The holesthat extend transversely through the side walls are substantiallyparallel to the bottom surface. The pairs of holes are approximately⅛^(th) to ¼ inch in diameter and aligned approximately 90 degrees apart.

The connector body may be used with twist ties that include an innerwire stiffener covered by an outer layer made of rubber, vinyl, paper orcloth. When bent or twisted, the twist ties are configured to hold theirshape and orientation.

During use, the bottom surface of the connector body is aligned at adesired location on a flat support surface. The connector body isrotated on the support surface so the ends of the twist tie that extendthrough the connector body may be bent and twisted over a single or abundle of wires that extends over the connector body's top surface. Asmall strip of double back adhesive tape is applied to the bottomsurface of the connector body or a threaded connector is extendedthrough the center bore. A twist tie is inserted through the holes andextend through the connector body so its opposite ends extend outwardequal distances. The connector body is then attached to the supportsurface. A single cable or wire or a bundle of cables or wires is thenextended over the top surface of the connector body. Because the twistedtie passes through holes aligned 180 degrees apart, the multiple bundlesof wires within the 180 arc may extend over the connector body. Thewires, if desired, may cross over the connector boy. A single twist tiemay hold one or more bundles or wires. If needed, a second twist tie maybe extend through the second pair of holes.

When the cable or wire are to be removed or relocated, or whenadditional cables or wires are added, the ends of the twist ties may beuntwisted and then re-twisted.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a bottom plan view of a substrate surface located under adesktop or workstation that shows two parallel cables and twonon-parallel cables extending over a single organizer and held togetherwith a single twist tie.

FIG. 2 is a sectional, side elevational view of a desktop or workstationwith the organizer attached to the bottom substrate surface of thedesktop or workstation and used to hold two cables on the bottomsubstrate surface.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of two twist wires extending throughopposite pairs of holes formed on the connector body and showing a stripof double back tape used to hold the connector body to a supportsurface.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the connector body.

FIG. 5 is a sectional, side elevational view of the connector body andwith a threaded connector.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a kit version of the showing at leastone connector body sold and distributed as a kit with a threadedconnector or a strip of double back tape and with a plurality of twistties in a bag container.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

Referring to the Figs, there is shown a substrate surface mountedmultiple cable or wire organizer 10 that includes at least one twist tie30, and a rigid connector body 12 with a plurality of transverselyaligned holes 20 configured to receive the twist tie 30.

The connector body 12 includes a flat bottom surface 16 attached to aflat substrate surface 92. The holes 20 extend transversely through theconnector body 12 substantially parallel to the bottom surface 16.During use, at least one twist tie 30 is inserted into the holes 20axially aligned on opposite sides of the connector body 12.

In the embodiment shown, the connector body 12 is a cylindricalstructure with curved side walls 15 and a recessed center void 14 formedtherein. Formed inside the center void 14 is a peg hole 16. In theembodiment shown, the connector body 12 measures approximately 1 inch indiameter and the side walls 15 are approximately ½ inch thick. The holes20 are approximately ¼ inches in diameter. The twist ties 30 include aninner wire stiffener 32 covered by a rubber or vinyl layer 34. When bentor twisted, the twist ties 30 are configured to hold their shape andorientation.

During use, a pair of holes 20 with longitudinally aligned center axisthat extend transversely on the connector body 12. The center axis ofthe holes 20 are substantially perpendicular to at least one cable 50held by the connector body 12. A twist tie 30 is inserted through theholes 20 and extend through the connector body 12 so its opposite endsextend outward substantially the same distance. A single cable 30 or abundle or cables is then extended over the top surface 13 of theconnector body 12 and the ends of the twist ties 30 are then twistedtogether to hold the cable or cables 30 over the top surface 13 of theconnector body 12.

As shown more clearly in FIGS. 4 and 5, recessed center bore 14 isformed in the connector body 12 and a peg hole 17 coaxially aligned withthe center bore 14. A threaded connector 25 configured to extend throughthe peg hole 16 is used to attach the connector body 12 to a substratesurface 92. The center bore 14 is approximately ½ inch in diameter andthe peg hole 16 is approximately ⅛ inch in diameter.

In one embodiment, one or more connectors 12 are sold and distributedwith a threaded connector 25 or a strip of double back tape 100. Inanother embodiment, the connector or connectors may be sold anddistributed in a container 100 as kit with one or more twisting ties 30as shown in FIG. 6.

Using the above connector, a method for one or more cables or wires to asupport surface comprising the following steps:

a. selecting an organizer that includes a rigid connector body with abottom surface and perpendicularly aligned side walls, a coaxiallyaligned center void and at least two pairs of transversely aligned holesformed on the side walls configured to receive a twist tie disposedtransversely through the connector body, and a connector for attachingthe bottom surface of the connector body to a support surface;

b. selecting a desired location for attaching the connector body to asupport surface when a cable or wire will extend;

c. attaching the connector body to the support surface at the desiredlocation;

d. selecting at least one twist tie with a thickness and length thatextends through two holes formed the opposite sides of the connectorbody and with the opposite ends that extend outward and may be bentupward over the connector body and twisted together;

e. extending the twist tie through two holes formed the opposite sidesof the connector body;

extending a cable or wire transversely over the connector bodyin-between the two holes that receive the twist tie, and;

g. twisting the exposed ends of the twist tie together to hold the cableor wire over the connector body.

In compliance with the statute, the invention described has beendescribed in language more or less specific as to structural features.It should be understood however, that the invention is not limited tothe specific features shown, since the means and construction shown,comprises the preferred embodiments for putting the invention intoeffect. The invention is therefore claimed in its forms or modificationswithin the legitimate and valid scope of the amended claims,appropriately interpreted under the doctrine of equivalents.

I claim:
 1. A method for attaching one or more cables or wires to asupport surface, comprising the following steps: a. selecting anorganizer that includes a connector body with a bottom surface, a topsurface, and having opposite side walls, a coaxially aligned center voidformed on the connector body and at least two pairs of transverselyaligned holes formed on the side walls configured to receive a twist tiedisposed transversely through the connector body, and a peg hole formedon the center void and extending through the bottom surface, the peghole configured to receive a connector configured to attach the bottomsurface of the connector body to a support surface; b. selecting adesired location on a support surface for attaching the bottom surfaceof the connector body to a support surface; c. inserting a connectorinto the peg hole or attaching adhesive tape to the bottom surface ofthe connector body to attach the connector body to the support surfaceat the desired location; d. selecting at least one twist tie configuredto extend through two holes transversely through the connector body andacross the center void, the twist tie having two opposite ends andsufficient in length so that the opposite ends extend outward from theconnector body may be bent upward over the top surface and twistedtogether over a wire or cable extending over the connector body; e.extending the twist tie through two holes formed in the opposite sidesof the connector body and across the center void; f. extending a cableor wire transversely over the top surface of the connector body, and g.twisting the opposite ends of the twist tie together to hold the cableor wire over the connector body.